Last Thursday, our own Ayme Sharma (above right) had the opportunity to moderate a “Tiffin Talk” for Indian Summer Festival, held at the PAUSE Pavilion at Vanier Park.

The theme? “Architecture as an expression of Empathy or Affluence?” was inspired by 2018 Pritzker Prize Winner – Indian Architect, Balkrishna Doshi – who said in an interview: architecture should be informed not by an “aesthetics of affluence” but by an aesthetic empathy.

Panelists Patrick Stewart, Marianne Amodio and Andy Yan, discussed several topics, including the BC Housing Rapid Rehousing program, Chinatown, Charles Montgomery’s Happy City, and Indigenous housing.

The PAUSE Pavilion’s unique design was the result of an international design competition organized by the non-profit school DBR (Design Build Research) for TED2017. The contest winner, designer Alsu Sadrieva in Russia, thoughtfully conceptualized PAUSE as an outdoor space to reflect, gather, and interact within.

We’re proud to support events in our community that promote arts and culture, and inspire dialogue about topics important to our communities.

Click here to learn more about the Indian Summer Festival and Tiffin Talks.